Tag: Hong Kong

Sapporo Kinen An Important Jumping-Off Point For Big Names

The return of Group 1 racing in Japan is officially about six weeks away, but Sunday's 2000-metre Sapporo Kinen–a Group 2 in name only–sees the return to action of some familiar names who are potentially looking to prep for big spots further afield over the coming months.

Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the 2021 G1 Tokyo Yushun hero, makes his first start since finishing fifth to world's top-rated racehorse Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in defence of his title in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic Mar. 25, with a trip to America for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in the offing, all things equal. The 5-year-old son of Dubai Majesty (Essence of Dubai) will be ridden for the first time by Takeshi Yokoyama. Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was just defeated in the 2021 Sapporo Kinen before going on to annex the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

The progressive Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), third to Shahryar in Group 3 company in 2021, earned his first success at pattern level when prevailing by 3/4 of a length in the G2 Kinko Sho last March. It was off to Hong Kong for his next and a meeting with local champion Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Accalamation {GB}) in the G1 FWD QE II Cup in late April, and Prognosis covered himself in glory in finishing two lengths adrift of the course-and-distance specialist in second. All roads could lead back to Sha Tin for the Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting in December.

Win Mighty (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) steps out for the first time since finishing a narrowly beaten second when going for consecutive victories in the G3 Mermaid S. at Hanshin June 18. The 6-year-old, third in the 2021 G1 Yushun Himba, holds an entry for the G1 Caulfield Cup during the Melbourne Spring Carnival Oct. 21, but will need a strong effort to merit the journey down under.

Defending chamipion Jack d'Or (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) won a star-studded renewal of the G1 Osaka Hai going this distance at Hanshin Apr. 2 and cut back to the mile for his latest in the G1 Yasuda Kinen, where he finished a determined fifth to the Breeders' Cup-bound Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) after setting the pace. He would become the first back-to-back winner of this race since Air Groove (Jpn) in 1997-98. Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), who ran on well to finish three-parts of a length adrift of the three-peating Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan when last spotted, should also appreciate Sunday's 10-furlong trip. The 4-year-old is reunited with Joao Moreira this weekend.

 

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Golden Sixty Named Hong Kong HOTY–Again

During a season that saw him become the richest-ever horse and most prolific winner of Group 1 races in Hong Kong history, Stanley Chan Ka Leung's Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) was named Horse of the Year in the jurisdiction for an unprecedented third straight season during a black-tie affair held Friday evening at the Grand Ballroom of the Rosewood Hotel.

The son of Gaudeamus (Distorted Humor) won four of his five trips to the post during a well-managed 7-year-old campaign, his only loss coming at the hooves of the very talented California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) when looking for a third consecutive victory in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December. In one of the most anticipated races in recent memory, Golden Sixty squared off with his Mile conqueror and G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup romper Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G1 Stewards' Cup in January, a race in which Golden Sixty had a 16-race winning streak snapped in 2022. The three top-rated horses in Hong Kong had the race to themselves when push came to shove, and $2.50 (3-2) second favourite Golden Sixty proved equal to the task with a one-length defeat of $2 (evens) pick Romantic Warrior.

It was $1.50 (1-2) Romantic Warrior and $2.30 Golden Sixty in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup over a 2000-metre trip that was sure to favour Romantic Warrior. But Golden Sixty had the final say yet again, scoring by a head (video), before adding his ninth Hong Kong Group 1 tally with a third straight win in the G1 FWD Champions Mile in April (video), also securing champion miler honours. Golden Sixty, who will train on as an 8-year-old, has a record of 25-2-1 from 29 starts and earnings of nearly US$18.8 million to date.

 

 

Other luminaries to have been named Horse of the Year on multiple occasions include Silver Lining (Aus), Quicken Away (Ire), River Verdon (Ire), Fairy King Prawn (Aus), Silent Witness (Aus), Ambitious Dragon (NZ) and Beauty Generation (NZ). The first two named were also three-time Horses of the Year, but non-consecutively.

Romantic Warrior did not go home empty-handed, as his efforts were rewarded with champion middle-distance horse honours for the second straight season. He managed to bounce back from his Gold Cup effort–for which he was reportedly not 100%–to defend his title handsomely in the G1 FWD QE II Cup to lock up his championship.

But for an unlucky defeat when favoured in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) would have given Golden Sixty a tussle for Horse of the Year. As it was, the 4-year-old had a much more rigorous campaign that Golden Sixty, winning seven of his nine starts, including a maiden Group 1 in the Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) and additional elite-level successes in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m). He carried 135 pounds to victory in the G3 Sha Tin Vase H. June 4, spotting his rivals 14 to 20 pounds. With no standout horse among those that competed in the Classic series, Lucky Sweynesse was also recognized as champion 4-year-old.

 

 

Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was the only Hong Kong horse to win a race on foreign soil this season, having impressed in the HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar, but it was his victory over Romantic Warrior in his title defence in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) that secured the 6-year-old the award as champion stayer for the second year in a row.

 

 

Howdeepisyourlove (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) finished his first Hong Kong preparation with four wins from 12 starts and was named champion griffin (2- and 3-year-old horses unraced upon arrival into Hong Kong). His rating lifted from the standard debut mark of 52 to 96 by season's end. Beauty Eternal (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) saw his rating rise from 52 to 117 to be named the most improved horse. Third as the favourite in the BMW Hong Kong Derby, he closed the season with a pair of victories at Group 3 level.

Trainer John Size won a 12th Hong Kong premiership, while Zac Purton will be crowned champion jockey for the sixth time after breaking Joao Moreira's record 170 victories for a season. He currently sits on 176 heading into Sunday's final meeting of the season, 82 clear of Vincent Ho, who received the Tony Cruz Award as leading homegrown jockey. Purton also became the second rider in history to register better than 1600 winners in Hong Kong, joining Russian Emperor's trainer Douglas Whyte.

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Waipiro Follows Brother to Hong Kong

Waipiro (Ire) (Australia {GB}), winner of the G3 Hampton Court S. at Royal Ascot last week for PK Siu and Ed Walker, has run his last race in Britain and is set to continue his career in Hong Kong.

The winner of a Newmarket novice in April, Waipiro was then second in the Lingfield Derby Trial and sixth in the Derby itself. His half-brother Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) was a multiple Group 1 winner in Hong Kong in the same colours, landing the Stewards' Cup twice, including when beating Golden Sixty (Aus) in  2022, and the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup.

Their breeder Shane Molan of Riversfield Stud featured in Sunday's TDN.

Confirming the news, Lambourn-based Walker said, “He will continue his career in Hong Kong, unfortunately. Obviously the Siu family, who own him, have lots of horses in training in Hong Kong.

“The reason I have horses for the Siu family, and they are such great supporters, is to produce horses for Hong Kong.”

The trainer continued, “He is the perfect horse for the Hong Kong Derby. Mr Siu tries to buy one or two horses for the Hong Kong Derby every year and why would you not take Waipiro and try and buy another one?

“Every owner in Hong Kong wanting a European horse for the Derby would want Waipiro. He's the perfect horse, he loves fast ground, he's got a high cruising speed, huge talent, 10 furlongs–he's the right horse for the job.”

He added: “His half-brother which they owned, Waikuku, was a Group 1 winner in Hong Kong, having finished runner-up in the [Hong Kong] Derby in 2019.

“There was always a good chance they would take him to Hong Kong. He'll probably win a lot more prize-money in Hong Kong than he would in Britain.”

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‘Emperor’ Outbattles ‘Warrior’ In Champions and Chater Cup

Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been campaigned ambitiously this season, with stops in Doha and Dubai, but the 6-year-old saved his best for last, running down heavily favoured Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) to successfully defend his title in Sunday's G1 Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup, the last of 12 Group 1 events on the annual Hong Kong racing calendar. Longshot Five G Patch (Ire) (Camelot {GB})–a two-time winner from two runs for Joseph O'Brien when racing as Collins Street (Ire)–went a massive race to be third in spite of a rating some 30 pounds inferior to the winner.

Money Catcher (NZ) (Ferlax {NZ}) mapped as the chief speed of the Champions and Chater, but when Derek Leung elected not to go on with it, Zac Purton was left no option but to make the running with Romantic Warrior, trying 12 furlongs for the first time having won the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup and G1 FWD QE II Cup over a mile and a quarter this term. Romantic Warrior can get fired up in his races, but he settled kindly enough and took them past halfway in 1:15.51, just outside standard clocking of 1:15.15.

While Money Catcher ensured that Romantic Warrior would not get loose on the lead, Russian Emperor was ridden back in the field by Hugh Bowman, knowing full well that his mount's best asset was his ability to run a strong 2400 metres, while the distance was the potential fly in the ointment for Romantic Warrior. Purton upped the tempo a bit on the final turn and Romantic Warrior gave a good response when asked for a sprint in upper stretch. As late as 150 metres from home, it appeared he'd left the others too much to do, but Russian Emperor ultimately called upon his superior stamina and was along late to join the likes of River Verdon (Ire), Indigenous (Ire), Viva Pataca (GB) and Exultant (Ire) as back-to-back winners of the race.

Russian Emperor became the first overseas runner for trainer Douglas Whyte when saluting in the Listed H. H. The Amir Trophy in Qatar in February and he was a highly creditable fifth in the G1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan over an insufficient 1800 metres the following month. Eighth to Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic Mar. 25, Russian Emperor carried 135 pounds to a running-on sixth behind Straight Arron (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup over track and distance May 7.

“He's a superstar of my stable and he's certainly given me one hell of a ride since he's joined me,” Whyte said of the 2020 G3 Hampton Court S. hero. “We've had our ups and downs but there's been a lot more ups than downs. To travel with him and winning in Doha, and coming back now to repeat that effort on a firm track. You've just got to give it all to the horse. When he won in Doha, that was probably the highlight of my career, both as a jockey and a trainer, to go abroad and do that.”

The beaten favourite gave it his all in his jockey's view.

“[Romantic Warrior] showed today it's [2400m] not his favourite distance, but he tried bloody hard–he was gone at the 600m,” Purton said. “Coming into the straight, Money Catcher actually headed me and I thought he was going to drop out, and to his credit, he tried as hard as he could. It was just not his distance.”

Russian Emperor's champion and four-time Group 1-winning dam sadly passed away days after foaling a colt by Justify in August 2020. The soon-to-be 3-year-old, an A$240,000 Inglis Easter yearling named Maravillas (Aus), is currently spelling for trainer Annabel Neasham.

 

 

Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
STANDARD CHARTERED CHAMPIONS AND CHATER CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000, Sha Tin, 5-28, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:26.87, gd.
1–RUSSIAN EMPEROR (IRE), 126, g, 6, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Atlantic Jewel (Aus) (Ch. 3yo Filly, Ch. Older Mare & MG1SW-Aus, $1,559,748), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Regard (Aus), by Zabeel (NZ)
3rd Dam: Nanshan (Ire), by Nashwan
O-Mike Cheung Shun Ching; B-Coolmore, Lauri Macri & Partners; T-Douglas Whyte; J-Hugh Bowman; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. Stayer-HK, GSW-Eng, SW-Qat, GSP-Ire, 29-6-4-3, HK$48,597,258. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Romantic Warrior (Ire), 126, g, 5, Acclamation (GB)–Folk Melody (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire). (300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; HK$4,800,000 HRA '21 HKJUN). O-Peter Lau Pak Fai; B-Corduff Stud & T J Rooney; T-Danny Shum; J-Zac Purton; HK$2,640,000.
3–Five G Patch (Ire), 126, g, 5, Camelot (GB)–Uliana, by Darshaan (GB). O-Lam Wai Ying; B-Newstead Breeding; T-Tony Cruz A S; J-Alexis Badel; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: NK, 1, NO. Odds: 83-10, 1-5, 44-1.
Also Ran: Straight Arron (Aus), Money Catcher (NZ), Panfield (Chi), Senor Toba (Aus), Natural Storm (NZ), Columbus County (NZ). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO.

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